Written by Marco Carvajal
2022 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy
When you purchase a Hyundai SUV, you assume that you are buying a vehicle full of value and tons of standard features, but selecting the right trim model can make a big difference on what you get.
I am test driving the Santa Fe Calligraphy, a great trim model.
The Calligraphy is the top-of-the-line trim in the Santa Fe’s family. If you want to drive the best Santa Fe model then the Calligraphy is at the top of the top, ready for Santa Fe drivers who want to enjoy top of the line features, design, upgrades and other enhancement to transform your Hyundai SUV in a premium model.
Pricing is one of the key elements to the Santa Fe’s appeal and success, as you get a lot of features for the money, something that the competition has not been able to achieve in its class.
The Hyundai Santa Fe SUV fills the gap between the compact SUV Tucson and the midsize SUV Palisade in Hyundai’s SUV lineup.
The Santa Fe seats five passengers, but offers more room than the Tucson and is more accessible and maneuverable than the larger Palisade. The Santa Fe is an ideal every day SUV for those who want value and great design.
Highlights of the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy
- 2.5L Turbocharged GDI/MPI 4-cylinder
- Starting MSRP $41,410
- 25 MPG Combined, 22 City/28 Hwy
- Premium finish grille
- Ambient lighting
- 20-inch alloy wheels
- Quilted premium Nappa leather-trimmed seats
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe stomps in the segment, where the Nissan Murano, Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Chevrolet Traverse and Kia Sorento put up a fight, the competition in this SUV segment is hard and it evolves every day as car companies work hard to win new buyers.
The Santa Fe offers good acceleration and fuel efficiency, as well as a luxurious interior and smooth ride quality, which are some of its best highlights.
Five Available Trims for the 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe
The 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe is a five-passenger SUV available in five major trim levels: SE, SEL, XRT, Limited, and the top of the line Calligraphy trim model that i am test driving.
- 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe SE
- 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe SEL
- 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe XRT
- 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited
- 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy
The Limited trim is near the top of the line and it is quite luxurious as it comes equipped with leather upholstery, premium audio, keyless ignition, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, and entertainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. It adds premium audio, heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats, surround-view camera system, heated steering wheel, wireless cell phone charger, head-up display, and automatic windshield wipers.
The Calligraphy model I am test driving has all of the above and adds extra luxury with 20-inch wheels, unique exterior trim, premium leather seats with quilted stitching, ambient interior lighting, faux suede headliner, head-up display that displays important information on your line vision in the windshield.
The Santa Fe Calligraphy has a Starting MSRP pricing of $41,410
Its interior materials have real stitching and there’s a high-quality feel to most of its trim pieces. There is plenty of room, especially for the legs.
The front seats are very comfortable with a wide range of adjustments and available heating and ventilation. The rear seats are also comfortable and have plenty of recline adjustments. Large door openings make it easy to get in and out, and the front and rear rows offer plenty of room and legroom.
The panoramic sunroof eats up headroom in both rows, but the rear seat’s ability to recline serves to offset that. The Santa Fe has excellent cabin insulation thanks to double-pane front windows and integral soundproofing.
The Santa Fe’s cargo space is very roomy at 36.4 cubic feet behind the rear seats, and it has some useful underfloor bins. Remote seat releases allow you to lower the second row seats from the rear of the vehicle and at the rear passenger doors.
Performance
The Hyundai Santa Fe is not the strongest Hyunday’ SUV but it comes supercharged with with enough power, with a a base 2.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque.
More expensive models come with a more powerful, turbocharged four-cylinder engine, also 2.5-liter, but with 281 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque.
An 8-speed automatic transmission is mated for the entire lineup of engines and models. Front-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is optional on all Santa Fe models.
The turbocharged 4-cylinder engine is smooth, and comes nicely mated to the new 8-speed transmission, which dampens your ride a bit.
The transmission gets a refined character, from ball bearing instead of roller bearings for less friction, quicker torque converter lockup and wider ratios on the 8-speed.
All-wheel drive is more predictive than reactive, engaging the rear wheels for better traction. The 4×4 system works well, but not for an SUV in worse conditions.
The rear shocks have been pushed more vertically for longer travel and better ride quality, along with a body that is stiffer.
The Santa Fe’s smooth suspension soaks up most bumps and bumps on the road, but the ride can sometimes feel a little too soft and choppy.
Hyundai Technology
The SUV Santa Fe Calligraphy I am test driving comes with the optional 10.25-inch screen that gives you better control and vision of your car.
This model brings Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, though CarPlay only uses about two-thirds of the 10.25-inch screen.
Santa Fe’s premium audio system produces precise sound and plenty of volume, but it’s not as immersive. The wireless charger is a space-saving spring-loaded slot. There is plenty of power and USB ports.
It comes with anti-lock disc brakes, traction and stability control, front seat side airbags, and side curtain airbags.
Hyundai’s advanced driver aids are some of the best around. Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keeping Assist work smoothly and ease the stress of rush hour traffic.
Blind-spot monitoring and forward collision mitigation also work quite well, but some drivers may find them too sensitive.
Redesigned 2022 Santa Fe
The completely redesigned Santa Fe SUV offers more space, comfort and convenience.
The new 2022 Santa Fe features an even more expressive and elegant design, an impressive array of the latest technology, advanced safety features, and a variety of efficient and powerful engines.
This SUV has an expressive appearance, and also combines a masculine style with refined elegance.
The new interior and exterior design of the Santa Fe looks fantastic.
New state-of-the-art safety features, as well as advanced driver assistance systems, allow the new Santa Fe to compete with premium cars, even if the Santa Fe in certain models is recognized more as a value SUV than premium.
The new Santa Fe features a wide range of next-generation engines that deliver greater efficiency and lower CO2 emissions.
The Santa Fe is Hyundai’s best-selling SUV in the brand’s 36-year history in America, this SUV offers a family-oriented interior, practical advanced technology, and a bold exterior that looks great but is priced with value and budget in mind.
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